This summer, Smart Mobility Embassy, the international label of Connekt (ITS Netherlands), is sharing a series called “Why the Netherlands?”, highlighting several areas in which the Netherlands is internationally recognised for its expertise in smart mobility. Our aim: to connect international mobility professionals with the Dutch ecosystem, share knowledge and explore collaboration opportunities. We start with traffic management.
Geplaatst op 05 augustus 2026
Why do international mobility professionals look to the Netherlands when it comes to traffic management? Not because the Netherlands has an abundance of roads. Nor because traffic jams don’t exist here. Precisely because space is scarce and the road network is used intensively, the Netherlands has spent decades learning how to make smarter use of existing infrastructure.
Traffic management is no longer just about variable message signs or traffic control centres. It’s also about:
- real-time traffic data and traffic information;
- digital information that feeds directly into navigation systems and apps;
- smart traffic lights that respond to actual traffic conditions; in some Dutch cities, cyclists may receive a green light sooner when it rains;
- collaboration between road authorities, government bodies, knowledge institutions and private-sector organisations.
What often attracts international attention is that the Dutch approach is not built around a single technology, but around the integration of traffic management, mobility data, digital traffic information and collaboration. This integrated approach helps travellers make better-informed decisions, improves traffic flows and enables more efficient use of existing infrastructure.
From road authorities to data platforms, from technology providers to knowledge institutions: many organisations work together to better inform travellers, keep traffic flows running more efficiently, and make the best possible use of existing infrastructureAs cities grow, congestion increases and available space becomes more limited, many countries are asking the same question: how can we make better use of existing infrastructure before investing in new capacity?
That makes traffic management not just an operational issue, but also an important part of the mobility transition.
Traffic management shows what’s possible when data, technology and collaboration come together
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore the building blocks behind this approach: mobility data, collaboration, digital traffic information and mobility hubs.